


The Bet's Burden

by AmayaNoCho



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Angst, Blood, Bodyguard, Bruises, Car Accident, Chores, Death, Domestic Violence, Guns, Inspired by a Courage the Cowardly Dog episode, Locked In, Mild Language, Multi, Nosebleed, Rescue, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Swordfighting, Training, Violence, heights, train
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-22 23:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 12,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4855478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmayaNoCho/pseuds/AmayaNoCho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by Season 4, Episode 7 of Courage the Cowardly Dog, "The Mask," which was created by John R. Dilworth. <br/>The characters in this story are from Tite Kubo's series, Bleach. <br/>I do not own either, but I typed this story. </p>
<p>After Renji and Byakuya move into a house in the middle of nowhere for business reasons, they meet a swordsman named Ikkaku who is without a place to stay and bearing a heavy burden from a costly bet he lost to a gang leader. This bet has put more than just Ikkaku into an undesirable situation, and Ikkaku aims to fix his past wrong. <br/>As Byakuya's bodyguard, Renji isn't quite sure if they can trust this guy, especially given how vague he is about things after they allow him to stay with them. Does he have an ulterior motive to his actions, or can they really trust him? Should they really be helping him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Hey, Tattoos." When he heard the unfamiliar voice addressing him, Renji wasn't sure what to expect. Being out in the middle of pretty much nowhere like this, and only being in such a situation due to Byakuya's work, he wasn't expecting anyone to just show up out of the blue like this. He had just been outside to walk a bit, get some air and not be stuck inside all day. Because of watching over the rich man inside, however, he couldn't go too far.   
"Who're you?" This guy was definitely armed with more than just a somewhat-blinding head, having a sheathed blade at his hip. He was wearing a sleeveless white shirt and jeans, which were accompanied by simple sandals. Was he a member of one of the local gangs Renji had been warned of before they had come out here? He looked strong enough to be, that's for sure. "You need somethin' from me?" He, too, was armed, keeping a sheathed katana visible while his pistol remained hidden within his jacket; he had to be ready for anything, after all. 

"Depends. You part a any organization at all? Gang, mob, police?"   
"No, none of them." Renji wasn't about to tell this guy he was a bodyguard; that would risk him deciding to go after Byakuya. "Why, are you?" The other man seemed to relax a bit from hearing this.   
"Nah, just tryin' t' avoid 'em all right now," he admitted. "Definitely ain't a fan of the mobs an' gangs, an' the police definitely aren't with as much authority as you'd wish 'em ta have." He looked toward the building now. "You stayin' there, Tattoos?" 

"Renji, and temporarily." The bald man seemed to consider this before looking back at Renji again.   
"Name's Ikkaku. Haven't seen anyone stay in this place since the gangs started takin' control... It used to be a base of a mob, ya know." Renji wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. _A nice two-story like this was a mob base_? Usually films and such made their bases out to be more trashy, like a cat house or some dark-alley type place that had a shitty outside with a simple sort of rich-type interior. Byakuya wasn't a fan of hotels or run-down places, so he had chosen this place after having someone inspect it to report that it was definitely suited to his taste. _Might want to add a background check next time_ , Renji decided.   
"Why'd they drop it? Real nice place, I gotta admit."   
"The mob that used it got run out," he replied casually, "like many a the other ones as of recent, by the gang tryin' to take over the place. Guessin' ya haven't been here long enough to know about the mob an' gang movements, eh?" 

Just as he was about to ask for more information about this, he noticed out the corner of his eye a familiar brunette walking calmly toward them. "Renji, who might this be?" In such a nice casual outfit like this, a mere black T-shirt and pants that fit the hips while a bit loose below the knees, Byakuya definitely didn't come off as the heir of a rich family.   
"Name's Ikkaku," the bald male answered. "Was just talkin' ta Renji about how he's new here an' all. Who're you?"   
"His name's Byakuya. He and I are both staying here." 

"Seems to still be a bit warm out," Byakuya commented. "Perhaps you would prefer to take this conversation inside?" It was definitely too warm for Byakuya to be dressed as he is, along with being noontime, putting the sun at its peak for the day. "Can continue this conversation with tea."


	2. Chapter 2

"I was staying with a guy I know over toward the east end of town," Ikkaku explained, "seeing if maybe he knew anyone who could help." They were now all seated at the dining room table, a well-crafted wood table with a white table cloth with sakura petals designed on it. The chairs were of the same wood and with matching cushions on them. Before each of them now sat warm tea in sky blue tea cups that all had a gold trim with a matching tea pot sitting at the middle of the table. The dark, navy blue curtains were slightly drawn, allowing some sunlight in as opposed to turning on the electric light, something Byakuya seemed to still prefer to do.   
"Help?" Renji wasn't quite sure what to make of this. 

"Yeah." Ikkaku bit at his bottom lip a bit before continuing. "Ya see, I've got a friend I've been best friends with since we were young. I was always a troublemaker, the guy ya didn't mess with, yet she..." He gained a small smirk as he recalled images of the one he was speaking of. "We were possibly the most unlikely pair to ever happen so successfully, ya know? I was a fighter to the core an' she's possibly the most rightfully vain person I know. Hell, she used t' have long hair, nice an' well-kept, something she prided in, but when a buddy I had gummed it, she was mortified while I started out thinkin' it was funny before kicking his ass for it." 

"I would think she would have been angered by your initial reaction to the situation," Byakuya stated calmly as he brought his tea cup to his lips in his ever-so-graceful manner before taking a light sip from it.   
"Yeah, yelled at me before she even _started_ snappin' at him." 

"So," Renji spoke, "what're you needing help with?" Ikkaku's smirk was replaced with a darker expression, more serious and determined, touched with anger.   
"I'm not from the best side of town," he began, "but from the very place the nastiest gangs an' mobs hang out. I challenged a gang leader without knowin' he was one after striking a risky bargain with him. I was cocky..." His right hand closed into a tight fist. "I'd never lost in a fight, _never_ , an' then the one time it mattered, the single time it mattered if I won or not..!" 

"What was this bargain, Ikkaku?" Byakuya's tone remained calm as he watched the other man from across the table. Ikkaku looked away, shame becoming visible.   
"I lost her... She and I both were so damned confident that I'd win, so sure of it, an' I ended up gettin' nearly killed an' being left bloody on the ground to watch the bastard take her away from me." 

"Any idea how she is?" Renji felt horrible for him as he considered the situation now, from the loss of the battle to the loss of his closest friend.   
"He's been towin' her around like some kinda trophy," he retorted angrily, "buyin' her stuff to pretty her up before paradin' her around when he's out with her. A buddy of mine's been riskin' the trips between me an' her to let us communicate, since that gangster's got such a short leash on her that she ain't even allowed to use her cell phone without him bein' in on the call, too, an' she's hating it there."   
"That really bites," Renji muttered.   
"Biggest problem's that one of the guy's lackeys caught wind of it when she an' I were plannin' to run for it. Went from them keeping an eye out for me t' shoo me off to deciding t' threaten my life if they ever catch me on their turf." 

"If I may ask," Byakuya spoke, "why is it that you went from the man living over toward the east's home to here? Did you decide to seek assistance on your own?"   
"No... That would've been better than what happened. Ya see, the gang's boss decided t' send some guys over, probably after figuring out that's where I went. My middle man, the guy who had been going back and forth with messages, was quick enough to warn me before they arrived, but only barely."   
"'Only barely'?" Renji wasn't sure what to expect with that added on.   
"I had to fight off a few," Ikkaku admitted, "and was run out of there. I have nowhere to go now, especially since they'd already figured out where I lived. And their boss, he's... He's just too strong..." Ikkaku seemed angered and upset by this, though he was expressing the anger more than anything. "I can't accept that I've lost to him! I can't accept that I'll never see her again!" 

"If you're admitting that he's too strong," Renji commented, "then wouldn't you have to accept that you've lost to him, then?" At this, Ikkaku was swift to go from sitting to standing, the chair he was sitting in falling to the floor as his hands hit the table in fists.   
" _I will not lose to him_!" As he left the room, Byakuya placed a hand on Renji's shoulder to keep him from following.   
"It may be best not to mention his current standing with that gang boss around him while he is here, Renji." 

"Wait, _while_ he's here?" Byakuya met Renji's brown eyes with his calm, strong grey ones.   
"You heard what he said, Renji; he has nowhere to go as of right now. It would be best that we allow him to stay." Renji looked back toward the doorway Ikkaku had left through before reluctantly nodding. 

As long as he kept track of this guy and made sure nothing happened to Byakuya, made sure that this guy wasn't going to do anything to Byakuya, this could be tolerated, at least.


	3. Chapter 3

"You even _work_?" Ikkaku gave a casual shrug to the question while he sat on the porch. "The longer ya stay, the better it'd be if you got a job." Renji leaned himself against the door frame while keeping his curious gaze on the bald man.   
"Yeah, I know. Any ideas on any places hiring, Tattoos?"   
"Not been here long enough to know. Don't you know of any place you could try? You're not new here, after all. At least not new to the places that could be, anyway." 

"Nope. Say, what exactly do you do?"   
"Bodyguard for Byakuya."   
"Wait, _bodyguard_? And for the guy you're staying with, right?"   
"Yeah." Ikkaku couldn't help the smirk that came over his face.   
"Must mean you two are pretty well off, then, what with you guardin' him an' him bein' in a good enough financial position to afford t' pay ya an' keep this place at the same time. Heck, how 'bout I become a bodyguard, too?" 

"No." Renji was far from fond of this idea. " _Definitely_ not."   
"An' why not? I got a sword, an' I can definitely use it-"   
"You have not had the required background check," came Byakuya's velvet voice from the living room, "and those who handle the task of administering it are not here with us. You do not have to seek out a job, however, as you are currently a guest here." Renji looked inside at the brunette man who was now sitting on the couch with an open book in hand.   
"But Byakuya-"   
"He is fine, Renji. Relax." Renji glared at the bald male before giving a reluctant sigh.   
"Yes, Byakuya." Byakuya was not one to make rash or unreasonable decisions, so his words were ones to trust. 

"I would appreciate it," Byakuya added, "however, if you would assist us with chores and the like that may arise while you are here with us, Ikkaku." _There it is_ , Renji thought to himself, _there's the catch I was hoping for_! It was a small request, but it was better than Ikkaku simply sitting around the place doing nothing.   
"Sure," Ikkaku replied, "may as well. Better than doin' nothin', anyway." Ikkaku stood himself up. "If ya don't have any on mind now, though, I'm hopin' to do some training for a while until dinner, an' I'd like to be allowed to do this daily, the training." There was fire in his eyes as he spoke. "Don't care when, just for some hours each day."   
"I currently do not have any on mind," Byakuya replied calmly. "Do as you will, so long as you do not damage the property." Because they were only here on business, it was completely understandable that this would concern him.   
"Sure, no prob."


	4. Chapter 4

"Did your training go well for you, Ikkaku?" As they sat around the table, their dinner before each of them, Renji couldn't help but consider the bald man's training tactics. He had remained at the doorway, but he had watched their guest as he practiced. His sword technique was good, and he had speed, but it seemed like there was some anger being worked out through the training, too, something Byakuya had taught him could rust one's abilities. 

The training was bound to be Ikkaku attempting to better himself to have a rematch with that gang boss, but it was definitely his way to release some aggression, too. Renji couldn't help but hope that he wasn't expecting to win against that guy with that aggression directing his blade.  
"Yeah, as well as it could go." Ikkaku twirled more of the spaghetti that sat on his plate around his fork. "Ya know, back at my place an' at my buddy's, there were training dummies I could use."  
"If you are about to request that we get you some," Byakuya interjected, "then you shall have to either work around the house enough to earn it or seek out a job to earn yourself the funds for it." 

"Guess ya gotta come up with some chores for me soon, then." Ikkaku got the fork of twirled spaghetti into his mouth before slurping up what was still hanging out of his mouth. "Eager t' ge' 'em."  
"Please refrain from speaking with your mouth full. You may be a guest, but that does not excuse bad etiquette."  
"'k." 

"An' it wouldn't kill ya to speak to him more respectfully," Renji added disapprovingly. "He's of a higher rank, ya know."  
"Don't matter t' me." Ikkaku shrugged. "He could be the king of England, for all I care, an' I'd still treat 'im like I do everyone else."  
"You listen to me-"  
" _No_ , you listen to _me_ , Tattoos." Ikkaku's elbow rested on the table as he pointed his fork at Renji. "I live by my own rules, an' I'll listen to whatever rules of others' I want to. I'll try your table manners an' not slash up this place, I'll do some chores to earn credit toward a trainin' dummy an' I'll stay in the room ya provide for me, but I _will not_ treat someone like they're better than me, got it? I. Don't. Care." 

"You-!" Byakuya raised a hand to signal silence from Renji.  
"I would appreciate it if you did as he requested," Byakuya admitted, "but if you refuse to do this, then I shall take being spoken to as an equal over the option of being treated as an inferior." He lowered his hand back to his lap now. "So long as you follow what rules I deem as required for you to follow, then I shall agree on this exception."  
"Thanks." Ikkaku stood himself up and picked his plate and cup up. "Guessin' I'll do dishes, then?"  
"Yes, that you shall." Had Byakuya not been there, had he not spoken when he did and said what he had, Renji would've knocked some sense into this guy if he had to. 

"Dish soap's under the sink," Renji explained, "an' the dish rag's by it. Same with the scrubber, but it's just spaghetti, so shouldn't need that."  
"Gotcha."


	5. Chapter 5

That night, Renji couldn't help but consider what they both did and didn't know about Ikkaku. For one, they knew he was in trouble with a gang, or at least according to Ikkaku. Something they definitely didn't know was at least the name of this best friend of his who's in trouble and stuck with the gang. Another unknown was the name of the gang, too, and the boss Ikkaku says he had fought and lost to. Was _any_ of his story even true? 

After he was sure Byakuya was asleep, Renji got his cell phone and went to Ikkaku's room and peeked through the key hole curiously. Inside, Ikkaku was sitting on the edge of his bed with something small in one hand and a card in his lap, which was set on an opened envelope. _Are those new? No_ , Renji decided, _they had to be old, unless he got them just before coming here_.   
As he watched, Ikkaku unsheathed his katana and began to gently run the small object across its blade. Was it one of those little stones for sharpening the blade, then? Perhaps it was a gift that came with that card? After a few minutes of this, Ikkaku re-sheathed his katana and picked up a small crimson sack that was sitting beside him on the bed and put the stone inside of it. He then set both the small bag and the card on the small table beside his bed before lying down to sleep. 

_Who gave him the stone? What's the card about_? Renji waited patiently, wanting to give enough time to make sure the other man was asleep before he slowly opened the door and stepped inside. This wasn't something he would normally do, but if it meant learning more about this guy to possibly better protect Byakuya, then so be it. 

When he opened the card, it was easy for him to catch on that it was a birthday one. At the bottom of it, he noticed a very fancy cursive signature that read "Yumi."   
_Yumi? Who's that? Could that possibly be the girl he's trying to rescue? Or is she just another friend of his_? Surely someone could tell him about it, especially given that Ikkaku had said that this unnamed gang boss parades her around. If Yumi's her, then someone had to know due to the parading. Would be hard not to, after all, if this girl's being brought around by the boss of such an apparently-threatening and open-about-showing-it sort of gang like Ikkaku says. 

Renji carefully set the open card facing up onto the floor, then removed his cell phone from the pocket of his pajama pants before making sure to turn off the camera sound on it. He took one last glance at the sleeping male before positioning his phone so as to ensure he got a clear shot of the signature with a bit of the handwritten message as well.   
After he got a picture of what he wanted, Renji placed the card back onto the side table and left as silently as he came, returning to the room where Byakuya was sleeping. He closed the door and locked it after entering the room before going to lie beside the brunette, relieved now that Byakuya's bed's big enough for two. They weren't a couple, dating or married, but with Renji's room being used by Ikkaku and the living room being further from Byakuya's bedroom than Renji was comfortable with for nights, the two had come to an agreement on this. 

It was wishful thinking on Renji's part to want a closer, more intimate relationship with someone like Byakuya, but it was something he wanted nonetheless.


	6. Chapter 6

"Renji..?" While it wasn't the first time the two had shared a bed, _this_ was definitely a first.   
Byakuya wasn't quite fully awake, still working on getting himself to be so mentally, but he was pretty certain of his current position, having been, at some point, apparently brought to the taller man's chest while his tan, muscular, tattooed arms were wrapped around him and keeping him comfortably there. 

While he himself didn't mind this so much, Byakuya felt certain Renji would. After all, he was close to Byakuya's younger sister, Rukia, in a more friendlier manner than himself, so surely this was an action intended for her, not him. "Renji, wake up."   
"Hm..?" It was a reluctant decision to make, but Byakuya knew he had to get the other to realize his mistake and release him.   
"I understand that you and Rukia are close, but I would prefer not to be mistaken for her and brought into this." Renji's confusion to this was more than enough to wake him, causing him to realize the situation quite quickly. 

"N-No," he stuttered, embarrassed as he swiftly released the smaller male and sat up, "that isn't it, honest!" Byakuya propped himself up on his elbows before giving Renji a curious look. He definitely didn't seem to be lying.   
"What exactly was that about, then?"   
"I, uh..." 

"Hey, what's got you two so loud already?" Renji was relieved to hear Ikkaku's quizzical voice from the other side of the door, and at such good timing! "Ya go off an' do something wrong, Renji?"   
"No!"   
"Then whatcha yellin' 'bout, Tattoos?" Ikkaku was definitely smirking on the other side of the door and Renji knew it.   
Thank goodness he didn't know about what Renji had done last night, sneaking into Ikkaku's room to get a photo of that card.   
"Nothin' you need t' worry 'bout, baldy." Renji stood himself up beside the bed. "Why don't ya quit standin' around out there an' go see about cooking? Or are ya no good at that?"   
"If you just want somethin' basic," Ikkaku replied, "bacon 'n eggs, nothin' too fancy, I can do that. Ain't about to go tryin' t' learn how to make omelets for yer friend there."   
"That shall suffice," Byakuya replied as he, too, stood himself up beside the bed now, though he did so on the other side of it. 

After they heard Ikkaku leave the door to go downstairs, Renji went over to where he had piled his clothes after moving them into here from his room and picked up a navy blue long-sleeved shirt and black pants. "Oughta get ourselves changed for today, then, especially since you've got work to get to." _And while he's safe and secure over there_ , Renji decided, _after I drop him off, I'll see if I can't figure out more about our current guest an' this "Yumi" person_.   
"True." Byakuya hadn't forgotten about what he had awoken to, but it seemed best not to bring the subject back up. At least not right now. 

While Renji changed, Byakuya opened his wardrobe to start doing the same. "After I'm done with work, your clothes need to be sorted and properly stored away. I have an extra dresser you could use while you're staying in this room."   
"'k." Renji glanced over as the other's pale back became visible to him while he changed. Knowing how well the other cared for himself, it was probably quite soft compared to his own skin, especially since Renji was more prone to end up in rougher training bouts while Byakuya's were usually quite calm and without him having to get his hands dirty at all.   
"If you are done changing, perhaps you could check on how Ikkaku's doing with breakfast rather than watching me." Renji's cheeks reddened. Of course he'd catch on.   
"R-Right, sorry."   
Renji was acting so odd this morning. Hopefully that would cease before Renji had to escort him to work.


	7. Chapter 7

After breakfast, Ikkaku had been given a short list of chores to do and was told he could train after they were done before Renji and Byakuya left. After Renji had dropped Byakuya off at the large business building he was to be seeing others about work at, Renji made his way to a small restaurant that was, to his relief, empty of any customers, leaving him and the man tending the register to talk. 

"'Scuse me."   
"Hello." The man seemed older, but not elderly, relaxed, and like he was more likely to be at a bar than in a cubicle. His eyes were grey and he had a wavy strand of his long brown hair hanging in front of the left side of his face while the rest of his hair was in a tie and resting rather than being up. His face also had a bit of light facial hair to it. "Want to order something?"   
"Might." Renji leaned against the counter. "You know 'bout the gangs, I assume?"   
"Asking a question like that about anyone," he replied, "must mean you're new in town. Everyone knows about them."   
"Well, I'm curious about a specific one and came in here to see if you could enlighten me about 'em." The man at the register smirked. 

"Well then, let's see if I can. Ask away." Renji pulled out his cell phone and went to the photo he had taken last night.   
"I came with someone to stay here for a while for business reasons," he began, "and this guy showed up needing a place to stay, so he's stayin' with us." He showed the man behind the counter the picture. "Says his name's Ikkaku," he continued, "an' that he's got a friend who's in the hands of a gang leader. Don't know much else, really, but I did get this last night."   
"It's signed quite nicely by a Yumi," the man observed, "and you said your guest's name is Ikkaku, so this definitely must be him." Hope rose in Renji's chest.   
"You know about them?" The man nodded. 

"Few around here don't," he replied. "The two of them, Ikkaku and Yumichika, they used to be inseperable. Heck, still are, as far as I'm concerned. Grew up together, hung out together all the time, hung out with the same people. Despite Ikkaku's fighting spirit that caused his tendency to pick fights and take challenges, Yumichika always stuck with him, and despite Yumichika's vanity, Ikkaku always stuck with her. Everyone was just waiting for them to finally act on the feelings we all know they have for each other."   
"The feelings they have for each other?" The man nodded solemnly.   
"They're definitely in love. They could always make each other laugh after a rough patch or do silly things around the other without feeling embarrassed about it later. However, Ikkaku's pride in his skills got the best of them both not too long ago," he admitted, "when he unknowingly challenged Kenpachi Zaraki, leader of the toughest gang, along with the one growing at the fastest rate as of recent." 

"Kenpachi Zaraki?" The man nodded.   
"This man is one who takes any challenge he's given, but because his gang's growing at such an exponential rate, he's also become a man to want something out of it. Ikkaku didn't have anything that interested him, however, except for a pretty young girl who just happened to be there with him at the time this all went down."   
"Yumichika," Renji nearly whispered. The man nodded.   
"Zaraki's got this adopted daughter, you see, but no woman of his own. Women in the gang, yeah, but none of them seem to catch his eye in any way but as his subordinates. No one's quite sure if he was attracted to her at all or if he just wanted a woman in the gang who could act as a mother figure to the daughter rather than another girl in the gang who was a rough-edged gangster, but he decided that if he won, he wanted Yumichika." _It was all true, then_ , Renji thought, surprised and disappointed, as it meant Ikkaku really _is_ going through this, and this Yumichika girl really is stuck with this gang boss. 

"Wouldn't take no for an answer," the man continued, "and he didn't want anything else Ikkaku tried offering, so, according to what I've heard, Ikkaku shrugged off any concern he had about the bet and went with it, and he did so with Yumi's encouragement. Now Yumi's spending most of her time either being paraded around or locked up in that gang's base north of here, waiting for him."   
"Why didn't he just turn it down," Renji muttered, considering suddenly the idea of if it had been himself in Ikkaku's shoes and Byakuya as Yumichika.   
"Pride. Confidence. Both." The man crossed his arms on the counter now while leaning forward. "Ikkaku and Zaraki are both trouble-seeking fighters with lots of confidence to spare, and few losses to show." 

"Wait, so this Zaraki guy's lost before?" The man nodded. "So it is possible for someone to beat this guy?"   
"He's lost once," the man admitted, "just like Ikkaku's only lost once, but the woman who defeated Zaraki did so back when she and I were young, and when Zaraki was but a fight-addicted child who even then was deemed unbeatable. She's left gang fighting to work at a hospital, and a good one at that. It's a good distance from here, too, due to Zaraki's want to have a rematch with her and attempt to finally defeat her, no matter how many tries it takes him."   
"Sounds like how Ikkaku was talkin' yesterday." 

"Well, he's lost someone dear to him because of that one loss against him, and he wants to even the score to get her back, or just simply get her back, really." The man straightened himself up again. "Whatever it takes, if you can, at least try to help him get that poor girl away from Zaraki. They've come in here a few times before, Zaraki with Yumi and a few of his gang members, and she's just... She isn't the same without him, you know? Wearing all those nice things Zaraki's trying to spoil her with only because he's having her do it, never really smiling anymore, faking laughs to keep that brute from hurting her, again and again... I can't bear to see a young gal like her in such a position." 

"I'll do my best, Sir." The man's smirk returned.   
"Name's Shunsui. Try and make sure to remember that," he added, "so you can tell Yumi I'd like to see her and Ikkaku together here sometime soon, after you and Ikkaku get her outta there." Renji smirked a bit at this and nodded.   
"I'll try, and thanks for the info, Shunsui."


	8. Chapter 8

It was late evening when Renji and Byakuya returned to their current home to find Ikkaku training outside. "Got everythin' on the list done," Ikkaku said with a satisfied grin. It hurt Renji to consider just how much pain this guy was not only carrying, but trying to hide, too. The aggression he had seen in those swings was all well-placed, just like the aggravation yesterday from being told to give up was. 

"So, with all that an' fixin' breakfast, plus washin' dishes last night, ya thinkin' I'm close to at least one training dummy yet?"   
"It will take several days more before you get there," Byakuya replied, "but you have made progress, if what you say is true and all was done well. Have you begun preparing dinner yet?"   
"Was waitin' for you two t' return first," he answered, "but now that you're back, I'll get that goin'." 

"Make sure to wash up first." Byakuya looked up toward Renji's face now. "While we are waiting on dinner, you can handle that pile of clothes you have sitting in the room."   
"'k." Almost forgot about that after that chat with Shunsui... "What exactly will you be doin', then?" 

"I can read my book while in the bedroom," he replied, "but I shall change out of my work clothes first." He was still wearing black formal pants, a white shirt with a collar to it, and a black formal jacket for work, which was accompanied by simple black shoes. "Once you are done with sorting your clothing, we can move to the living room."   
"Sounds like a plan."


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this chapter turned out to be a long one, but now there's a bit of fluff.

When the two were back in the bedroom, Renji went straight to his clothing pile while Byakuya went to his wardrobe, slipping off the jacket first and tossing that onto the bed before looking at what he had to choose from to change into. Now that they were both back in here again, not only was it challenging for Renji to not keep looking over at the pale brunette, but it was also proving to be difficult to not think about this morning. 

"Is there something you need to discuss with me, Renji?" Byakuya's voice seemed calm enough, but Renji knew he was only asking this because of Renji's gaze going on and off of him.  
"No. I mean, maybe." Byakuya looked over his shoulder incredulously at him.  
"It is a simple yes or no question, Renji," he remarked, "and you are the only one who would know, or at least the one who would know best, as to whether or not you have something you wish to discuss with me." He always spoke so easily, it seemed, as if his words were practiced enough to be memorized before he spoke them. Renji couldn't recall a single time when the petite male had stumbled over his own words or had been completely lost for words when with something to voice.  
"Well, there _are_ a few things," he admitted, "but not sure what to say yet." There was Ikkaku's problem and what he had learned about it, his new desire to help save Yumichika, this morning's incident, his own feelings... 

"Well, if you happen to decide on something to discuss and find the proper words for what it is you are wishing to discuss with me, you may do so." It wasn't exactly appreciated that he kept feeling those strong brown eyes on his back like this. He was sure Renji was only doing that due to his job, his duty as Byakuya's bodyguard, and had possibly become overprotective of him as a result of it, but it really wasn't necessary. 

"I guess," Renji tried, "for starters, I did get confirmation for Ikkaku's story." Byakuya wasn't sure about responding to this, deciding instead to remain silent and look through his shirt options while allowing Renji to continue. "I doubted that it was true at first, I admit, but it just seemed so fishy that the friend in trouble he mentioned and the boss he fought both weren't with names, like he was making it up on the spot and just hadn't come up with good names for them just yet. So after dropping you off at work, I went to a few places, a quiet restaurant first, to talk to people and see if they knew about it." 

"From your doubts being proven wrong," Byakuya replied as he began to unbutton his white shirt, "I would assume enough people knew about the incident to back Ikkaku up, then?"  
"Yeah," Renji replied with a small nervous chuckle, "way more than enough, to be honest. I mean, I talked to a good number of people, and only four of them didn't know the whole story. Even then, two of those four at least knew _something_ about it."  
"Odd that such an incident would be so well known," Byakuya observed aloud, "yet it is still unresolved." Renji found himself tracing Byakuya's spine with his eyes after his back was exposed from the removal of his shirt. 

"This gang's the biggest one right now," Renji explained, with some difficulty, "and they're also the strongest, too, especially their leader. He's only lost once, and the one who defeated him left a while back."  
"That would explain the hanging issue, then." Byakuya slipped on a near-white pink shirt with short sleeves before looking over his shoulder at Renji again. "Are you making any progress over there, by chance, or would it be best for you if I stepped out of the room and waited until you were finished with that?"  
"No, no," he replied quickly, "I'm doing alright, honest!" Byakuya looked back into his wardrobe with a small, inaudible sigh. "Getting there, really!" 

"You have been acting odd," Byakuya commented, "ever since we got here, and it seems our current guest's arrival has only worsened this behavior." Renji was seeming more protective of him than usual, more flustered with his speech, and more easily distracted, which usually ended up somehow involving Byakuya himself in a more direct way than he expected would ever occur, given how long Renji has been his bodyguard. "Did something happen before we came here?"  
"No. Well, sorta, but not in the way you're probably thinking." Byakuya was starting to feel as though the taller male was just drawing overlapping circles and zigzags for him to attempt to follow and make sense of.  
"Explain, then."  
"Well, uh..." Renji was now folding and sorting his clothes without looking at the other male, plus trying to figure out just what to say. "Before we left, I talked with Rukia about something important." 

"And what exactly might that be?" Byakuya did his best to hide what he felt from his voice, suspecting now that this was some sort of lead-in to Renji saying that he and Rukia were planning on getting married, despite not having been dating prior. Seemed like something Renji might do, and if Rukia felt the same way, there was a chance that she'd go along with it. Something about the thought gave him an unfamiliar pain, yet he made sure to keep his composure as he picked up a pair of black slacks, debating on whether or not he should change into these.  
"Well, ya see, I..." Renji swore internally for not being able to finish that sentence, deciding to give it another go. "We talked about how I... I..." Byakuya turned away from the wardrobe and placed the neatly-folded slacks onto the bed before fixing his gaze on Renji. 

"You know I am not a fan of guessing games, Renji."  
"I know," he replied quickly, "it's just, I... I'm having trouble with saying this." Byakuya walked around the bed silently to stand behind the sitting red head.  
"Does it involve Rukia at all?"  
"N-Not directly, no." _Why did he have to come over here?! Why?!_  
"Perhaps it can wait," Byakuya decided, "and you can finish what you are doing without this topic acting as such a distraction to you." 

"No." Renji placed the folded shirt he was just holding down with the other folded ones before trying to confidently stand himself up before turning to face Byakuya. "It's waited long enough," he stated, "an' I want to tell you now, before we have to return or before we even go downstairs to get dinner."  
"Alright then. I am waiting." Renji took a deep breath before trying now to focus not on the room or Byakuya, but trying instead to focus on when he was talking to Rukia about it. 

It had been a nice, warm day, the whole reason they had decided to be outside to talk. _"C'mon," Rukia spoke with determination, "just say it! It isn't like you've gotta recite a whole book to get the point through! Just a few words, a few small words, and you've said it! Quit being such a coward!"_  
"I'm not being a coward, Rukia-"  
"Then say it! Heck, I'll even let you pretend I'm him if you think it'll help. You don't have much longer before you two have to leave, after all, so if you're wanting to tell him on this trip, you should be ready now."  
After a moment of this, he felt more relaxed and gave it another go. 

"I was thinking of you this morning when we ended up in that position." Not what he was originally planning on saying, but close enough, he decided. Was a start. Byakuya locked eyes with him for a moment before seeming uncertain about this.  
"You aren't lying..." Byakuya quickly looked away, trying to make sure this really was what he had just heard. "Why would it possibly be because of me that that occurred?" He looked back up at Renji. "Was I perhaps in some sort of danger in whatever dream you were having?" Perhaps in the dream, Renji was holding him like that to protect him?  
"No, Byakuya." Was the meaning behind what he had just said, his finally trying to explain this morning, really escaping the other man?  
"Then why-?" The sudden arms around him weren't expected, especially not with how close they held him now to Renji. 

"I love you, Byakuya." Byakuya wasn't quite sure what to make of this or what to say. He felt happy to hear this, but was this even real?  
"I... I thought it was Rukia you felt so strongly for."  
"No, Byakuya, I chose to continue to protect you for a reason." He had indeed been given the option to switch to protecting Rukia in the past, an option Byakuya himself had given him due to his thoughts of their friendship possibly being more than just that, Renji's and Rukia's, but Renji had turned it down both the day he had been given the offer and the next day. At first, Byakuya had decided to have him as his own bodyguard in order to gauge him personally, to be able to observe the red-haired male and decide for himself if he was worthy to be with Rukia, and he had not only come to the conclusion that he would do well for Rukia, but had another thought slowly dig itself up from the depths of his mind. 

By taking Renji on as a bodyguard and learning so much about him, along with finding himself getting along well with him and gaining a strong trust in him, Byakuya had unintentionally gained strong feelings for the other man. "I chose to continue to protect you," Renji continued, "because it's _you_ I love! I care for Rukia, yeah, but she's like a sister to me." Byakuya felt Renji nuzzling into his raven hair.  
"I... I'm glad to hear that..." Byakuya leaned into Renji's chest. "I love you, too." 

"'Ey, guys?" The two looked now toward the closed door while listening silently to Ikkaku's approaching steps on the stairs. "Dinner's ready!"


	10. Chapter 10

Dinner had gone well, with some good conversation with Ikkaku and Byakuya speaking up every now and then, but Renji knew there was still Yumichika to consider. He knew Ikkaku hadn't forgotten her, either, as he seemed eager still to train, though Byakuya had convinced him to sleep tonight. "If you stay awake with all of your training," he had stated, "and do not rest, tomorrow will only hold sleep rather than work for you. A body can only take so much, after all. It needs rest."   
He was right, of course. 

After the brunette was asleep, Renji silently reached into the drawer of his own bedside table and removed a small key from it. Considering the possibility of the other man waking, he went around the bed to Byakuya's bedside table and removed a matching key from that one as well. 

One person can only bear so much on their own. "See ya," Renji whispered, though he knew Byakuya didn't hear him. He had to see this place for himself, the base of this gang, and learn what it is Ikkaku had put himself up against. He was a fool for making such a bet, yeah, but he had definitely learned from it. After Renji stepped out of their bedroom, he made sure to lock the door before going over to the nearby closet and hiding the keys inside an empty cleaning bottle he kept in there. The last thing he wanted to do was take even one of the keys with him and risk losing it, but he also didn't want to put them anywhere too obvious. 

When he went to Ikkaku's bedroom door, Renji peeked in to see that the bald male was indeed asleep before he locked that door, too, since he had kept the key to it and hadn't gotten around to giving it to Ikkaku. He would've invited the other along gladly if it weren't for the fact of this being planned to be just a scouting mission, not the actual round to attack. 

If all went well with the scouting tonight, the rescue mission would be tomorrow night.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a bit of a journey, he had to admit, but Renji was sure that he had made it to the gang's base now.   
It was a good distance north, just like Shunsui had said, and it looked to be an abandoned apartment building that was still being somewhat up-kept, but definitely not looking friendly at all on the outside. It had some beaten-up training items all around, littering the dead ground like weeds in an old yard, with barren dirt that looked to be holding no signs of life except for the lit-up windows. 

As if to confirm that this barren, abandoned-looking apartment building was the place he was looking for, a short black limousine drove haphazardly from Renji's front-right view to come to a stop in front of the lone building. He hid behind a stack of old cars and quickly brought the hood of his black hoodie up over his head before watching as two muscled guys emerged from the driver and shotgun seats of the limo. _Either of those Zaraki_ , Renji wondered, _or are they just lackies playing as his chauffeurs_? 

After the two guys went to the side door facing the building, one held the front door of the building open while the other held open that door of the limo. A far more intimidating man than the first two stepped out now, his height towering over the other two as he stood now at his full height. The man's face had a scar going all the way down the left side of it, all the way from his forehead to the edge of his chin, and his black hair was long and went about halfway down his back. Just the proud manner in which he stood in his black jacket and jeans was intimidating in itself, along with the additional spiked collar he and the other two guys were all wearing. _That's gotta be him. No wonder Ikkaku lost_... 

"C'mon, Yumi." His deep voice was gruff as he removed the smaller figure from the car.   
She was wearing a nice black dress that went to her ankles, matching high heels, a necklace made of what looked like wisteria pearls that matched the bracelet on her right wrist, and a long crimson trench coat that had white fur on its edges. Her skin was pale and her hair brunette, her figure wonderful, yet her wisteria eyes seemed concerned, if anything. Her lips were masked by crimson lipstick while her eyes wore sky blue on her upper eyelids. 

_Yumichika._


	12. Chapter 12

"The hell..?" Ikkaku tried the door again, yet it still wouldn't budge. There was no visible lock, so he definitely couldn't try checking that to see if it was locked. He closed his left eye before peeking between the door and the door frame to check.   
To his dismay, the door showed itself to be exactly that: locked. "Gotta be kiddin' me..." 

He had been far too antsy to stay asleep, waking with an eagerness to get out and train. With this newly-discovered issue, however, that clearly wasn't going to happen anytime too soon. "How the hell?" The only possible way he could think of for the door to be locked is if someone had locked it with a key, yet surely that wasn't the case, right? The other two didn't seem like they'd be the kind to lock a guy into his bedroom at night for no good reason, right? _Even if that was the case_ , he recalled, _my door wasn't locked this mornin'_. Did something happen? "'Ey!" _Maybe there's a lock on the other side_ , Ikkaku decided, _an' they can come over here an' unlock it for me_. "Guys!" 

Byakuya turned his head tiredly before half-opening his eyes to stare now at his wardrobe. _What on Earth is Ikkaku doing up this late_ , he wondered, _and why is he shouting as well? He knows we're trying to sleep, doesn't he? Can't whatever it is he's yelling about wait until morning_? " _Guys_!"   
Apparently not. "Renji..?" Byakuya looked now to his right to realise, to his horror, that Renji was no longer there. "Renji?!" He sat up swiftly, ignoring the sudden dizziness from doing so as he looked around the room, terrified now to notice that there was no sign of the red-haired man. "Renji!" 

When Ikkaku heard the shouts, he felt an uncomfortable churning in his stomach. _Did they somehow figure out I'm here an' decided to do this_ , he thought, _to lock us both up in the bedrooms while takin' Renji off t' do somethin' to him because of me_? "Byakuya? Ya alright?"   
"I can't find him!" Byakuya was swift to get himself out of bed and go all around the bedroom, looking all around everything and inside anything that could have fit Renji inside of it. "Ikkaku, I can't find Renji!" 

"Try to relax, 'k?" Ikkaku began to go around his room now, grabbing up whatever he deemed as good to use for the now-planned rope to get out the window safely. "I'm gonna get outta this room," he assured the brunette, "an' I'm gonna figure out where Renji went, 'k?"   
"I'm coming with you, Ikkaku."   
"No, you're not." If there was even the slightest chance that Renji had ended up in the hands of that gang, he knew Renji wouldn't want him to risk bringing Byakuya along, too. "If his disappearance has anything t' do with me, he wouldn't want you gettin' involved. In all honestly, I don't want ya involved with that, either." 

"I can take care of myself," Byakuya retorted. "I have been properly trained to be able to and am with a sword."   
"Then why the bodyguard?" Byakuya's lips parted to answer, yet none came. He closed his mouth again before looking curiously out the window. "Thought so-"   
"He isn't with me because I am helpless on my own," he interrupted. "It was my decision to take him on as a bodyguard, and it is by my decision and his choice that he has remained so."   
"So what, ya drag 'im 'long with ya just 'cause?" Ikkaku wasn't quite sure of this answer. "Ya know doin' that's costin' ya money? Really worth it?"   
"Yes." Byakuya looked at the wall that was on the side of the room which Ikkaku's current room is. "Renji, he... He means a lot to me, and he has told me... He has told me he feels the same way about me." It was easy for Ikkaku to understand what he meant, as it was the same for him and Yumichika, even if the words were still unspoken. 

_Yumichika_. "That's _it_..!" Ikkaku was quick to start tying everything he had gathered together.   
"What?" Byakuya walked over to stand beside the bed to lean against the wall, wanting to hear whatever it is Ikkaku had to say about this. "What is it, Ikkaku?"   
"You matter a whole lot to 'im, don't ya? Enough t' risk anything he had to for ya?"   
"Maybe..." _I cannot read his mind_ , Byakuya admitted to himself, _so of course I cannot be sure_. "Why?"   
"It's the same fer me an' her, Byakuya." When he heard this, he remembered how Renji had begun to act more out-of-character since they had arrived here, but especially after Renji had heard Ikkaku's story and then went out and confirmed it while Byakuya was at work. Heck, he had even... 

Renji had even admitted his feelings for him. "He might be out trying to save Yumichika," Byakuya whispered before turning to now have his back against the wall. "He..." The brunette let himself slowly go down the wall as the thought formed itself clearly and vividly inside his head. 

_Renji had gone out to try to rescue Yumichika_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And also to protect his Byakuya, but of course the first thought of why would be that :x


	13. Chapter 13

"C'mon Yumi, doesn't any a this make ya happy anymore?" Renji only did a swift peek into the dimly-lit apartment room that Kenpachi and Yumichika now sat in, fearing that he would be seen if he tried to watch this at all.   
It was all a deep crimson red, from the armchair to the couch beside it that they were both sitting on, with Yumichika on the end closer to the window Renji was looking in from while the gang leader sat on the other end. The carpet was the same red, too, and so were the old, fading walls that had some wallpaper missing to expose a red-painted wall underneath. The only non-red characteristics of the room now were the two small wall lamps and both the small wooden table beside the armchair and the lamp sitting on top of it. 

"Doesn't anythin' I do make ya happy anymore?" The gruff voice seemed calm, but Renji wasn't about to take this as a sign of weakness. "Or maybe," he decided, his voice now becoming more threatening, "you're _still_ thinkin' 'bout that loser, Ikkaku?" Renji risked peeking in now to see her turning to look completely away from the muscled male now, her eyes seeming to get sadder from this accusation. She was no longer wearing the coat, showing now that the dress was with thin straps, and she had removed the heels, leaving herself barefoot now. Zaraki was also without his jacket, wearing a white shirt with thin straps for sleeves, too, better showing his muscles, but he still wore the black shoes he was wearing earlier. 

"I told ya t' _forget 'im_!" Zaraki now stood from the couch to walk over toward the smaller dank windows, causing Renji to duck down a bit more as he considered the possibility of Zaraki deciding to walk around the room and end up at this lone window. "I take ya from an everyday life with its day-ta-day concerns about food an' money," he begins, turning to face her again as he talks, "an make ya into a well-dressed gal with class an' looks like a _star_ , somethin' girls like you would _kill for_ ," his voice raising now as he continues, "an' you wanna make me second-rate to _him_?! Of all th' punks, _him_?!" Yumichika seemed uncomfortable now, her red-painted fingernails gripping her lap tighter now as she struggled not to look at the angry man who now glared at her. "I thought I made it clear t' you," he barked, "clear t' you an' the rest of the gang _both_ , that if I ever even _see_ that bald head of his, or if any of them do, he's good as _dead_." 

At this, she cracked, her hands going up to her face as a small whimper escaped her throat. It was the first time Renji had heard anything from her, and it definitely wasn't something he had hoped for. "Yumi." Kenpachi went to sit beside her before putting an arm around her small shoulders. "C'mon now, ya know you're my gal. Why can't you show more enthusiasm again, like you did before? Remember? Used t' be more thankful for these gifts an' had more energy in that step of yours. You know, happier."   
_Chances are_ , Renji thought, _that so-called happiness was more from hope of seeing Ikkaku again than from the gifts and this, and that's why she's not that way anymore._

 _She must've lost her hope after this guy put the life threat on Ikkaku's head_.   
As Zaraki held her close, to Renji's surprise, Yumichika did embrace him, too, but only for a moment before she took the small metal link on the back of Zaraki's collar and hooked it onto the wall lamp just behind him. "What the-?!"   
As Zaraki tried to unhook it, his aggravation returning, Yumichika quickly ran to the armchair and removed a simple suitcase from under it before hurrying to the door. Just when Renji's hopes were up, Yumichika opened the door to two of the buff gang members, each of which were quick to grab her by an arm. "Let go!" She tried pointlessly to struggle against their grip of her arms. "Let go of me!" 

At that instant, Zaraki, to Renji's surprise, didn't unhook the collar from the lamp, but instead ripped the lamp right off the wall. _Holy shit_ , Renji thought in fear while noticing that even the wires had snapped from the force. This was definitely a good time to hide, which he definitely did, ducking out of their view. "Animals! Beasts! Let go of me!" 

_That's it_ , Renji decided while listening to her shouts, _this just can't wait another night. Yumichika needs out of here, before it gets any worse_.


	14. Chapter 14

"Ikkaku?" Byakuya didn't like that it had been silent for a while now, even if he wouldn't admit to it. He had become accustomed to sound in his waking hours, from the sounds and voices of work to Renji's voice. "Ikkaku?" 

_Why isn't he answering? Did he manage to get out of his room_? Had he decided to leave Byakuya behind and pursue Renji without him? Byakuya tried to consider another course of action, but what could he do after he was out of this room if Ikkaku was already gone? He didn't know where this gang was or which way to even go from here to get there. Had Ikkaku remained here, he could lead them both there. 

Byakuya went to one of his bags now and looked around inside it carefully as an idea came to mind. _Just maybe_...   
There! He carefully removed a lone bobby pin, its black shape bringing about at least a smudge of hope. His younger sister had bought him some as somewhat of a prank gift once, what with his long hair compared to her short hair, which he had taken with thanks and later utilized to learn how to pick a lock with them, just in case he might ever need to. 

As he knelt beside the door, he carefully moved the bobby pin around inside the lock until he was able to get the desired result. Byakuya then put the bobby pin on the collar of his night shirt before standing and opening the door. "Ikkaku?" As he stepped out, his grey eyes looked over the hallway cautiously.   
When he went to stand in front of Ikkaku's door, he knocked on it and waited for a reply. When none came, he bent down and peered through the key hole. 

Gone. Ikkaku wasn't in the room anymore, having tied his newly-made rope of sheets and such to the bedpost nearest to the window before climbing out through it a while ago. "Of course that would be why he wasn't replying to me," Byakuya remarked under his breath before standing himself back up. 

_What am I to do now_?


	15. Chapter 15

After Renji heard the door inside the building shut behind the three men, he cautiously looked inside to find Yumichika sitting against a corner near the door, her arms bruised from the tight holds she had been put into while her head was lowered to hide her face. Her shoulders were giving the telltale movements of sobs while her hands were up over her hidden face. The idea of how colored the bruising already was had Renji concerned about just how deeply colored they'd be after they were really developed. 

When Renji tapped the window, she didn't seem to notice it at first, but it wasn't long before Yumichika lifted her head to look, revealing her tear-striped cheeks and bruising left cheek while doing what seemed to be keeping a hand over her mouth, just under her nose. "Who are you..?"   
Renji breathed onto the window before giving his best attempt to write out "Ikkaku's friend" backwards so that she could read it properly.   
"Ikkaku..." Her voice seemed relieved to be able to safely speak his name. "Is he with you, by chance?" Renji shook his head before pointing at the windowsill, hoping for this to get through as him requesting assistance to get in. "Right, hold on." She carefully stood herself up before walking over, keeping a hand under her nose the entire time. Nosebleed? She hadn't moved that hand at all, from what he could tell. 

As she got to the window, Renji could clearly see the crimson on both of her hands now and just under her nose as she tried to pull the window open, getting her hands on the bottom of it and trying to pull it upward. After Yumichika turned the catches, she gave it several more pulls, ignoring the blood that now trailed down to her chin and was beginning to drip off it. "Why won't it _open_?!" Her voice was a frustrated whisper as she released the window and began to look around on it. To his dismay, she found a small keyhole on the window's frame. "Oh no, he had that interior lock thing put onto it," she whimpered, "and I definitely don't have a key for it!" Her wisteria eyes were terrified as she looked out at Renji. "I'm sorry, but I can't-" 

When she saw him gesturing for her to move away from the window, Yumichika cut herself off mid-sentence and backed away slowly, placing a hand under her nose again. After she was back in the corner again, Renji brought the sleeves of his hoodie over his hands and lowered the hood further before lowering his head and jumping in through the window.   
"What was that?" Renji got himself up quickly, not wanting to risk any time when it sounded like one of Zaraki's lackeys had heard the window shatter.   
"Get your suitcase," Renji whispered urgently, "quick!" As Yumichika went to the armchair and brought her suitcase out from under it, Renji brought out his katana from its sheathe and readied himself for the worst. 

"You can't possibly be hoping to take his gang on on your own?" She knelt now with her suitcase in front of her, watching him nervously. He was now her first sign of hope after such a long time, this unnamed friend of Ikkaku's, and she didn't want to lose that.   
"Nevermind that, Yumichika. If you've got something in there that can help your nosebleed, get it out an' make your hands available again." As she opened the suitcase to do so, one of the two lackeys who had grabbed her when she had tried to escape now opened the door, and with the other one behind him.   
"Who're _you_ ," one snapped, "some kinda new recruit er somethin'? She's s'posed ta be gettin' solitude time fer her runaway attempt earlier!"   
"Like I'd join gang trash like _you_!" Even though the two gangsters had unsheathed their own blades, it was still pretty easy for him to take both of them down. 

"What's all that racket?!" Yumichika's eyes widened as she looked quickly to Renji. She had been able to find an old shirt of hers to tear one of its long sleeves a bit to put up her nose to help the bleeding, but she had lost enough blood now that it was starting to get to her.   
"That sounded like Kenpachi!" Renji went to help her to her feet just as the door flung open to another couple of lackeys.   
"Out the window," Renji ordered, "quick!" As she grabbed her suitcase and went to do so, Renji fought off the new couple of guys. 

"Yumichika?!" The roar that erupted from downstairs sent a chill down Renji's spine. He was swift to make his way to the window after defeating those two, hopping through it to find Yumichika sitting against the building with her suitcase beside her, her arms wrapped around herself as she held her pale, bruise-spotted arms tightly.   
"I, I can't," she whispered weakly, upset, "I can't..." _The blood loss must be getting to her_.


	16. Chapter 16

"Renji!" The red-haired man looked down over the rails to find Ikkaku running toward the apartment, a determined look on his face as he made his way over.   
"Ikkaku?" Renji definitely wasn't expecting to see him running this way, but his timing was definitely appreciated. 

"Ikkaku?!" Renji looked over his shoulder just in time to watch the door get reduced to splinters by the furious gang leader, clearly provoked further from hearing the familiar name.   
"Yumi," Renji spoke quickly, "ya gotta get yerself down from here!" He quickly got her suitcase and dropped it to the ground below before scooping her up and helping her onto the short ladder attached to the railing of the metal balcony-like area which they were currently standing on.   
"But this won't bring me to the ground," she replied in dismay. It was a four-story drop, something Renji knew wasn't a good idea to drop from. 

"Let go, Yumichika!" She looked down shakily at Ikkaku as he positioned himself to catch her. "I've got ya!"   
"You aren't Ikkaku." Renji and Yumichika both looked toward the window to see a somewhat disappointed-looking Kenpachi watching them.   
"Yumi!" At the sound of Ikkaku's shout, Kenpachi looked now toward the ground just as Yumichika released her grip of the ladder. 

"Yumichika!" The gang leader slammed an angry fist against the window frame, easily ruining that. "Get outside!" Renji knew he was now shouting orders to his gang. "Ikkaku's out there! Kill him!" Renji got himself quickly onto the ladder while Ikkaku grabbed Yumi's suitcase and ran, holding her safely in his arms now after catching her. "Get Yumichika back from him!" Just as Kenpachi stepped out through the window, Renji released the small hook that held the ladder from the railing and held onto the ladder tightly as it fell. 

It was definitely a relief that it ended up only burying about three whole rungs when it hit the ground, allowing Renji to come out of that stunt safely. "Cowards!" Renji looked up to see, to his surprise, the gang leader jump up onto the railing before jumping off the railing to begin his descent to the ground, causing Renji to decide that now was definitely the time for him to run, too. 

If not nightmarishly intimidating, this guy was _definitely_ nightmarishly _insane_.


	17. Chapter 17

"The gang Yumichika's with?" Byakuya nodded as he watched the restaurant owner hopefully.   
After unlocking his bedroom door, Byakuya had changed and grabbed his sword before heading out here to find someone to help him reach the gang's base, recalling that Renji had said that most people he had talked to knew about them. 

"Two people went off that way," he explained, "and I haven't much time to spare." The owner, Shunsui, pointed north.   
"Their base is a good distance north," he replied, "but it sticks out like a sore thumb, trust me. Run-down looking apartment of four stories standing alone on dead land. You'd think the place was completely abandoned if the lights were all off. If the boss is there, then his gang's small limo will be there, too."   
"Thank you." Just after Byakuya had turned to leave, the shop owner placed a hand on one of his shoulders. 

"Lemme take ya there," Shunsui offered with a smirk. "Faster by car than by foot, after all, and you said you don't have much time to spare, so this should help."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short switch


	18. Chapter 18

"Shit, Ikkaku," Renji shouted, "I hear an engine comin' our way!" Renji looked over his shoulder to see one of Kenpachi's lackeys driving the small limo while the madman himself was now crouching on top of it like a predator about to pounce on its prey.   
The way that limo was gaining on them, Renji wasn't surprised to see that menacing grin on the gang leader's face. 

"There's a train track up ahead," Ikkaku shouted back. "We get there at the right timin' an' we oughta be able t' ditch 'em there!"   
"Better get there at the right timin', then!" Renji could tell this guy was out for blood and enjoying the chase more than expected. 

When they were close to the train tracks, Renji could hear the warning sign before he even saw its red flashing lights. "There it is!" As they got closer to the tracks, an idea occurred to him that caused Renji to remove his pistol from the large front pocket of his hoodie. "Keeping running," Renji shouted, "and don't look back!"   
"What're ya doin', Renji!?"   
"Just don't look back, and change your runnin' more to an angle from me, to the right!" Renji looked behind himself now before aiming the pistol. _Even if this is where it ends for me, I've lived a good life_ , he decided, _and, hell, even told Byakuya how I feel 'bout 'im, finally. Could make something outta that, but I can't just let this guy ruin it for them, though, or risk him finding out about Byakuya_. 

As Ikkaku ran, he heard the distinct sound of a gunshot just as he crossed the railroad tracks, but he didn't look back. The sound of tires struggling followed, which was followed by the loud, overwhelming sound of the train going by, but he kept running.   
"Ikkaku?" He looked down to see that Yumichika was regaining consciousness now, her eyes looking up at him tiredly.   
"Hey." She gave him a small smile.   
"I'm a wreck, aren't I?" Ikkaku grinned.   
"Nothin' a good cleanup won't fix!" Yumichika slowly looked around them. 

"Where's that friend of yours, Ikkaku?" Ikkaku was tempted to look back, wanting to check if the red-haired man was still alive and following, but he forced himself not to. "Ikkaku?"   
"He's behind us," he replied. "Ya mind lookin' t' make sure he's keepin' up, Yumi? I gotta focus on what's comin'." Yumichika brought her arms up and around his shoulders before resting her chin on his left shoulder to look. 

"Ikkaku, I don't see anyone." Her voice seemed to be creeping towards frightened. "I... I only see a bunch of stuff around the tracks, but I don't see anyone. Ikkaku, what happened?"


	19. Chapter 19

"I hear a train not too far ahead."   
"That time of night," Shunsui replied. Byakuya felt anxious as he sat in the seat beside Shunsui, waiting for them to come to a stop at this gang's base. 

"How much longer?" He hated to ask, but he really wanted to know.   
To his surprise, the car came to a sudden halt not long after he had asked. "Shunsui?" As Shunsui quickly stepped out of the car, Byakuya looked forward to see Ikkaku with Yumichika in his arms in the headlights. Byakuya quickly unbuckled himself and reached back to unlock the back door behind his before stepping out.   
"She needs medical attention." Shunsui's words were calm as he looked now at the woman in Ikkaku's arms. She was definitely a mess, with the dried blood trail on her face being the most obvious thing to Byakuya, and the second being the bruised cheek. _She must be Yumichika_ , Byakuya decided. 

"Ikkaku, where is Renji?" This seemed to make the bald man unsure. "Ikkaku?"   
"I can't say," he admitted. "Told me not t' look back, an' then I heard a gunshot, then the car that was after us freakin' out, then the train..."   
"But surely he is fine?" When no answer came, Byakuya began to walk toward where Ikkaku and Yumichika had been coming from before they had found them, toward the train tracks.   
"Byakuya?" Shunsui looked from the brunette man to Ikkaku. "Get Yumichika and yourself into the back seats." 

"Right." As Ikkaku walked over to the back door behind the shotgun seat, he couldn't help the guilty pain that he felt as he glanced back toward Byakuya. He reluctantly opened the door and assisted Yumichika into the car before sitting himself beside her.   
"Is he going to be alright, Ikkaku?" Ikkaku placed an arm around Yumichika's shoulders and brought her close.   
"Shunsui'll handle it." 

When Shunsui got to the shorter male, he got a firm grip of Byakuya's left shoulder. "We can't stay here too long, Byakuya."   
"Renji-"   
"Yumichika needs medical attention," he interrupted, "and they couldn't even tell us about what's happened with Renji. It's best we leave and get her help."   
"He has to still be alive," Byakuya replied calmly, doing his best to mask his growing concern. _He just told me before dinner... I just told him, too... He just has to be..._   
"Has to, no, but could be? Yes. However, we don't know-"   
"If you must leave, then leave. I am capable of searching for Renji on my own."   
"Be reasonable, Byakuya. I know it's difficult to accept, but-" 

"But what?" The two looked across the now-empty train tracks to see someone in a black hoodie starting to get himself up onto his hands and knees while giving a few coughs. His voice hadn't been very loud, and he was among the remains of the car Ikkaku had mentioned, from what Shunsui and Byakuya could tell.   
"Renji?" Byakuya watched as the man lowered his hoodie to reveal that oh-so familiar red hair and a dirtied face with that familiar smirk on it.   
"What're you doin' all the way out here, Byakuya?" The brunette's eyebrows rose at this before he walked over to the red-haired man and knelt down in front of him. 

The last thing Shunsui was expecting was for Byakuya to grab Renji by his collar roughly and glare at him. "I should be the one asking you that," he spoke softly with a touch of venom, "along with why it is you decided that it was a good idea to lock both Ikkaku and me in our rooms before you left, alone, to go to the base of a group of thugs you knew nothing about." He was relieved that Renji was alive, but definitely not happy about what he had chosen to do.   
"H-Hey, easy Byakuya." Renji gave a nervous laugh. "I'm alright, see?"   
"You are filthy and you were lying on the ground among car debris." Byakuya released Renji's collar before lowering his hands to rest on his own knees now, trying to get his composure back. "Ikkaku did not know what happened to you," he continued, "and so we thought you were dead, killed by either the train or by the car." 

"But I'm alive," Renji replied, "an' yeah, dirty, an' I got a few scratches, but I'm alive." He stood himself up before reaching down to scoop Byakuya up in his arms.   
"Wait, Renji, what are you doing?!" He struggled a bit while being picked up, but he chose to simply get his arms around the other's shoulders once in Renji's arms. "I can walk on my own," he protested, "and besides, you did mention that you are hurt. This isn't a good idea, at least not this instant-"   
"Wait, 'at least not this instant'?" Renji was thoroughly amused by the color that arose in Byakuya's pale cheeks.   
"Renji, stop..."   
"Fine, I'll stop teasin' ya." For now, Renji added in his thoughts. 

"Well," Shunsui spoke, "best be going now..."   
He was glad to see the two were happy and together again and all, but he also knew that they really should get going soon.


	20. Chapter 20

"Kenny?" The small pink-haired girl walked with two female gangsters along the railroad track near their base. 

It was definitely a mess in the area they had first started at, what with pieces of the gang's small limo scattered about the place. "Kenny isn't gonna be happy when he hears we need to get a new limo," the small girl commented aloud. "It's been made into a huge mess back there!"   
The two women looked at each other, unsure of what to say or do. 

Was Zaraki even alive still? What if he had been involved in that mess they had found?   
"Kenny!" The pink-haired girl ran over to a tall, muscular man who was lying on the ground. "What're you doin' all the way out here?" Before the women could even begin to assume he was dead, the man got himself up in a sitting position. 

"Had a bit of a problem last night," he replied, "but I'm rested now."   
Jumping onto a moving train from a moving car before it went to pieces, then jumping off the train after a few minutes of traveling on top of it, wasn't even _close_ to something that could kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is, and I hope you enjoyed! 
> 
> Possible Spoiler for the Courage the Cowardly Dog episode:   
> Considering that Mad Dog was still alive on the front of that train after being hit by it (even if he wasn't in good shape), I decided it would be suiting to make sure that Kenpachi was still around after the wreck in this story, too (plus, it's Kenpachi).


End file.
